Continuous wire support

ABSTRACT

A filing mechanism includes improved cantilever support means and accordion-folded filing folders carried on the support means. The cantilever support means are comprised of a continuous wire element formed in a manner to facilitate easy installation and shaped as adjacent triangles comprised of a horizontal arm, an angular support arm extending forwardly at an angle theta from the rear end of the horizontal arm, and a vertical arm extending upwardly from the front end of the angular arm to the plane of the horizontal arm where it is then bent to begin a second triangle of the same configuration and dimensions as the first, such pattern continuing to form a series of triangles in a vertical offset relationship for supporting an accordion-foldedtype filing folder. The cantilever support arms are supported by two brackets located at the top and bottom of the vertical arms, with each bracket having slots for receiving the vertical arms and having a detachable portion for locking the vertical arms in place so as to secure the support arms to the brackets. By swinging the cantilever arms open, access is permitted to the material filed in the accordion fold between the said arms.

United States Patent Humphrey Feb. 15, 1972 1541" CONTINUOUS WIRE SUPPORT [2]] Appl. No.: 41,822

[52] U.S. Cl ..3l2/l84, 312/193, 211/119 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47b 17/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..21 H8, 40, 60,106, 119, 165-168,

Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg AttorneyMolinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff a7 a Q a2 8 35 [57] ABSTRACT A filing mechanism includes improved cantilever support means and accordion-folded filing folders carried on the support means. The cantilever support means are comprised of a continuous wire element formed in a manner to facilitate easy installation and shaped as adjacent triangles comprised of a horizontal arm, an angular support arm extending forwardly at an angle 0 from the rear end of the horizontal arm, and a vertical arm extending upwardly from the front end of the angular arm to the plane of the horizontal am where it is then bent to begin a second triangle of the same configuration and dimensions as the first, such pattern continuing to form a series of triangles in a vertical offset relationship for supporting an accordion-folded-type filing folder. The cantilever support arms are supported by two brackets located at the top and bottom of the vertical arms,'with each bracket having slots for receiving the vertical arms and having a detachable portion for locking the vertical arms in place so as to secure the support arms to the brackets. By swinging the cantilever arms open, access is permitted to the material filed in'the accordion fold ,between the said anns.

3 Claims, 7 Figures PATENTEUFEBIS I972 3.642.338

' INVENTIOR. DAV/D H. HUMPH/PEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved filing mechanism, and more particularly to a filing mechanism having a continuous cantilever support for accordion-type dividers.

A filing mechanism of the type to which the present invention is applicable is shown in Humphrey, US. Pat. No. 3,389,944. The filing mechanism shown in this patent includes a plurality of separate cantilever arms or individual rods which mount in and pivot from matching holes in a pair of supporting brackets. The separate arms or rods are difficult to remove or replace, as each rod had to be bent in a manner to enable hooklike bends at the rods ends to fit into said matching holes in the bottom and top brackets. The removal and replacement of said arms is made more difficult as their number increases and the filing continues. A further disadvantage of the construction in some applications was the limited weight that could be caused between two arms before the downward force exceeded the strength of the supporting arms and caused them to be bent out ofshape.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved efficient yet inexpensive means of supporting a continuous accordion-type filing folder.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved filing mechanism including support means comprising a continuous wire element which is formed as continuous side-by-side triangles, which mount and pivot from matching holes in upper and lower brackets located at the top andbottom of the vertical arm portion of each triangle. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made more apparent hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A presently preferred form of the present invention is shown in the attached drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a plurality of filing mechanisms mounted in awall, with one of the mechanisms being open and with a portion of the wall being broken away to show one of the filing mechanisms which is in closed positron;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the filing mechanisms and a portion of another one, and with several sections of a filing folder being shown; 7

FIG. 3 is a side view of the cantilever support of this invennon;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of several sections of the cantilever support;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a bracket, pivotal mounting shaft, and panel element;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top view illustrating a cantilever support constructed and arranged to include 270; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a desk in which a 90 arrangement of the filing mechanism is shown.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I, the numeral indicates a wall of a filing room or the like. Provided in the wall 20 are a plurality of filing mechanisms 22, each including a panel element 23 that is substantially flush with the wall 20 in the closed position.

All but one of the filing mechanisms are shown in the closed position in FIG. 1. The filing mechanisms 22 are moved to open position by merely pushing inwardly on either end of the panel 23 so as to rotate the filing mechanism 22 upon its support. Such rotation allows access to the filed material in the filing folders F. A retainer rod 24 which is secured to the panel member 23 extends around the periphery of the filing folder F to protect the folder and to: prevent material filed therein from slipping outwardly due to centrifugal forces acting upon said folder when the panel 23 is rotated.

FIG. 2 shows in more detail the filing mechanism 22 shown in the open position in FIG. 1. The filing mechanism 22 comprises upper and lower brackets, each formed by separate 90 arr:

sections 32, 33 and 34, 35 respectively. The free ends of brackets 32, 33 and 34, 35 are secured to panel element 23 which is rotatably connected to stationary vertical shaft 30 by journals 37. The upper bracket comprised of separate sections 32, 33 and the lower brackets comprised of separate sections 34, 35 are identical and have matching holes 36, 38 therein for receiving a series of triangular supports formed from a continuous rodlike element. The triangles or support arms A, best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, are comprised of a continuous piece of wire formed in the shape of a series of interconnected, offset triangles each having a horizontal arm 40, and angular support arm 42 extending forwardly at an angle 0 from the rear of the horizontal arm 40 and a vertical arm 44 extending upwardly from the front end of the angular arm 42 to the plane of the horizontal arm 40, wherein it is bent to form the next horizontal arm 40. The vertical arm 44 of each triangular support arm fits into the matching slots or opening 36, 38 in the top and bottom brackets 32, 33 and 34, 35 respectively and is held into said slots by means of a detachable portion of each of the 'upper and lower brackets, which fits into the inner diameter of said bracket blocking the slots opening so the vertical arms cannot slip out.

With the support arm or cantilever arms A supported from the vertical arms 44 by brackets 32 and 34 they may be pivoted around said'vertical arm 44 to allow the arms to be spread apart or brought together for ease of access to the material filed between the arms.

The filing folder, shown generally as F comprises an elongated sheet of paper, cardboard, fiberboard, cloth, plastic material or other suitable material, is folded accordionlike so that there are upper folds 50 and lower folds 52 between which thereare panels 54. The upper folds 50 are to be supported by the cantilever horizontal support arm 40. The lower folds 52 may support such material as letters, drawings, files, between the two adjacent panels 54.

FIG. 3 is a side view of acantilever support means A. It is noted that horizontal arm 40 supports upper fold 50 of the accordionlike filing folder.

FIG. 4 illustrates a continuous piece of wire defining series of triangles disposed in a vertical offset relationship to one another. Each triangle or support arm has a horizontal arm 40, an angular support arm 42 extending forwardly at an angle 0 from the rear end of said horizontal arm 40 and a vertical arm 44 extending upwardly from the front end of the angular arm 42 to the plane of the horizontal arm 40 where it is thenbent to be parallel and planar to the first horizontal arm 40 thereby beginning a second triangle of the same configuration and dimensions as the first triangle. The above is continued to form as many triangles as there are slots in brackets 32 and 34, or as many support arms as are desired in -the filing mechanism.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of brackets 32, 33 and 34, 35. The brackets are annular in plan view and consist of segments joined to one another. The brackets 32, 33 and 34, 35 are comprised of two pieces, one inside the other, the outer piece 60 containing slots 70 along its inner diameter for fitting the vertical arm 44 of the cantilever support means therein and the inner portion 62 locking said vertical arm 44 in the slot 70. The outer bracket portion 60 has holding means at each end comprised of 90 projecting lips 64 and 66 extending inwardly and outwardly respectively. The inwardly extending lips 64 cooperate with one another to hold the locking mechanism 62. The outwardly extending lips 66 facilitate fastening the bracket to a panel or another bracket. The inwardly directed lip 64 defines a recess 68 for receiving an end of the locking mechanism 62 to lock it in place, thus sealing the entrance of the slots 70 in the outer'portion of the bracket. The outer lip 66 of the outer portion 60 of the brackets 32, 33 and 34, 35 has a hole 72 in it to allow the brackets to be secured-to a panel member 23, or another bracket to form a arch if so desired. Two brackets placed side by side are attached by any suitable securing means, for example, a nut and a bolt.

F IG, 6 illustrates a filing mechanism comprised of three 90 segments interconnected to form a 270 arch. The filing mechanism 122 of FIG. 6 may be utilized in a desk especially shaped with a corner cut out as indicated at 109.

FIG. 7 shows a modified shape of filing mechanism 222 having a 90 arrangement suitable for mounting in a desk 82. Instead of a flat panel element 23 as in FIG. 2, a pair of panels 84 and 86 at right angles to each other and a curved retainer wall 88' form a pivoted drawer for containing the filling folder F. The support shaft upon which the filing mechanism 222 pivots is at the junction of panels 84 and 86.

From the foregoing description of a filing mechanism it can be seen an improved mechanism of this type may be used anywhere that filing means are required. The unitary constructed cantilever arms and panel-type folder supported by upper and lower brackets provide a convenient and economic filing means. Though a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended the following claims cover all such changes and modifications as fall within their scope What is claimed is:

1. ln a filing mechanism having cantilever support elements supported by upper and lower brackets, said brackets being annular in plan view, means for supporting said brackets comprising a panel member, and a vertical shaft connected to the panel member, said panel member being pivoted about said vertical shaft by means of journals connected to the panel member with fastening means, said panel member concealing said filing mechanism in one pivoted position and exposing said filing mechanism for access to its contents in another pivotal position, with a retainer element secured to said panel element and circumscribing the outer edge of said filing mechanism, characterized in that the support elements are comprised of a continuous member formed in the shape of a series of triangles each having a horizontal arm, an angular support arm extending forwardly at an angle from the rear end of the horizontal arm and a vertical arm extending upwardly from the front end of the angular arm to the plane of the horizontal arm where it is then bent to be parallel and planar to the first horizontal arm thereby beginning a second triangle of the same configuration and dimensions as the first, such pattern continuing to form a series of triangles in a vertical offset plane which results in an accordian-type support means, said horizontal arms of the triangles supporting a continuous accordion-folded-type filing folder, said cantilever support arms are supported by two brackets located at the top and bottom of said vertical arms, with each bracket having recesses for receiving the vertical arms and having a detachable portion for locking the vertical arms in place so as to secure the support arms to the brackets.

2. A filing mechanism as described in claim 1, wherein the annular brackets provided to support the cantilever support arms are comprised of two pieces, one inside the other, with the outer piece containing slots along its inner diameter into which the cantilever support arms fit, and the inner piece of said bracket which locks to the inner diameter of the outer piece sealing the entrance of the slots, said inner piece of the bracket locking to the outer piece by means of recesses disposed in an inwardly directed projection at the ends of the outer piece which receive the ends of the inner piece of the bracket in said recesses, thereby locking the two pieces together.

3. A filing mechanism as in claim 2 wherein said bracket is secured to a panel member by means of outwardly extending projections at the ends of the outer piece of the bracket, said projections having a hole means therein for receiving fastening means.

l0l023 nsso 

1. In a filing mechanism having cantilever support elements supported by upper and lower brackets, said brackets being annular in plan view, means for supporting said brackets comprising a panel member, and a vertical shaft connected to the panel member, said panel member being pivoted about said vertical shaft by means of journals connected to the panel member with fastening means, said panel member concealing said filing mechanism in one pivoted position and exposing said filing mechanism for access to its contents in another pivotal position, with a retainer element secured to said panel element and circumscribing the outer edge of said filing mechanism, characterized in that the support elements are comprised of a continuous member formed in the shape of a series of triangles each having a horizontal arm, an angular support arm extending forwardly at an angle from the rear end of the horizontal arm and a vertical arm extending upwardly from the front end of the angular arm to the plane of the horizontal arm where it is then bent to be parallel and planar to the first horizontal arm thereby beginning a second triangle of the same configuration and dimensions as the first, such pattern continuing to form a series of triangles in a vertical offset plane which results in an accordian-type support means, said horizontal arms of the triangles supporting a continuous accordion-folded-type filing folder, said cantilever support arms are supported by two brackets located at the top and bottom of said vertical arms, with each bracket having recesses for receiving the vertical arms and having a detachable portion for locking the vertical arms in place so as to secure the support arms to the brackets.
 2. A filing mechanism as described in claim 1, wherein the annular brackets provided to support the cantilever support arms are comprised of two pieces, one inside the other, with the outer piece containing slots along its inner diameter into which the cantilever support arms fit, and the inner piece of said bracket which locks to the inner diameter of the outer piece sealing the entrance of the slots, said inner piece of the bracket locking to the outer piece by means of recesses disposed in an inwardly directed projection at the ends of the outer piece which receive the ends of the inner piece of the bracket in said recesses, thereby locking the two pieces together.
 3. A filing mechanism as in claim 2 wherein said bracket is secured to a panel member by means of outwardly extending projections at the ends of the outer piece of the bracket, said projections having a hole means therein for receiving fastening means. 